Someone was going to shoot 65 in the final round of the 2003 Masters. Someone was going to rush back from five strokes to settle into the champion's green jacket inside Butler Cabin. Someone was going to catch 54-hole leader Jeff Maggert, because, cruel truth be told, somebody always catches Jeff Maggert. Yet this is no ordinary golf tournament, and that someone could only be Tiger Woods. Except it wasn't. When Len Mattiace wiped the morning sleep from his eyes, he set one of those reach-for-the-stars numbers athletes often make when facing the impossible.

Two of the PGA Tour's most popular players, Fuzzy Zoeller and 1984 champion Peter Jacobsen, are among four more players who have committed to the $1.5 million Canon Greater Hartford Open. Others scheduled to be at the TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell July 24-27 are Billy Mayfair and Jeff Maggert, who finished fourth in the U.S. Open and second in the Buick Classic the past two weeks. Maggert struggled the first four months of the year, but recent strong play has moved him to 28th on the money list with $429,785.

The rain, wind and scores diminished Saturday at the TPC at River Highlands. After dodging drops and bracing against gusts for much of the first two rounds, those who overcame the elements best got to trade in their rain gear for sunscreen. Many of the estimated 90,000 who flocked to the Canon Greater Hartford Open had barely finished breakfast and inched their way through traffic when Jim McGovern and Eduardo Herrera challenged Billy Andrade's course record of 8-under-par 62 in 1995, falling a shot short.

Eagles from the fairway, birdies from trash bags and pars from the water and cart paths. Many of the PGA Tour's best opted to rest rather than find their way to the TPC at River Highlands for the 46th Canon Greater Hartford Open, but the estimated 100,000 fans Sunday could have cared less. In the wildest shootout since the first tournament at River Highlands in 1991, Stewart Cink survived a four-way duel reminiscent of the U.S. Open in June and ultimately hit the shot of the week -- a 9-iron from a downhill lie to the left of the 17th fairway that carried 138 yards over water and onto the green, setting up a two-putt par from 50 feet.

Billy Mayfair missed only two of 14 fairways with his driver in the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday. His reward was a 1-under 69 at the Bethpage State Park Black Course. "I love the U.S. Open," he said. "I love courses where you have to make a lot of pars. Pars are good scores." Especially in the Open. Mayfair finished in a tie for third with Dudley Hart, K.J. Choi and Jeff Maggert. Not even a thrown ball from a fan toward Mayfair and playing partners Felix Casas and Robert Karlsson could trouble him. So confident was Mayfair with his driver, he used it on the 411-yard par-4 18th, a hole where many pros used a long iron off the tee. He split the fairway, then hit a 9-iron and made a 15-foot birdie putt.

Two marquee names have entered and one is apparently ready to withdraw from next week's Canon Greater Hartford Open. Jeff Maggert, who won the first $1 million top prize on the PGA Tour in February, and 1992 U.S. Open champion Tom Kite have committed to the $2.5 million GHO July 29-Aug. 1 at the TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell. But John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and '95 British Open, is ready to withdraw. Daly finished last in the U.S. Open and Irish Open in his past two starts and has said he plans to sit out to recover from exhaustion until the PGA Championship, which is two weeks after the GHO. "John hasn't officially withdrawn, and I don't want to say anything else until I talk to him," John Mascatello, Daly's agent, said Tuesday.

Phil Mickelson had a Cheshire cat smile as he walked off Augusta National's 18th green early Saturday night, fully aware he had pulled a Houdini act the last few holes to remain in contention for his first major title. Despite wild drives into the trees on Nos. 17 and 18, Mickelson holed par-saving putts of 10 and 18 feet to shoot par 72. He was tied for fifth place with two-time defending champion Tiger Woods and two-time titlist Jose Maria Olazabal, four shots behind Jeff Maggert.

Tiger Woods' march to yet another piece of golf history Sunday would not be deterred by two three-putts at the start. Or a 49-minute delay in the middle. Or another three-putt at the end. In a performance reminiscent of his Masters victory in April, Woods methodically maneuvered through the most difficult conditions of the week at Bethpage State Park's Black Course to win The People's Open by three shots over Phil Mickelson. Woods gave his challengers an opening when he three-putted twice on greens made slicker by gusting winds that dried them out, reducing his lead to two. But those were Woods' last major miscues until the final green when the coronation had long since begun, complete with "Here we go, Tiger, here we go!"

Nick Faldo went from using a fade on his drive to sticking with a draw. He didn't fade Saturday in the third round of the U.S. Open, making six birdies in shooting a tournament-low, 4-under-par 66 at the Bethpage Black Course. "I liked the way I was hitting the ball on the range, so I looked in the bag and decided to stick with the draw," he said. Faldo, who received a special exemption from the USGA to play in his 60th consecutive major, said, "That's about as well as I can play."

Will it be Lewis-Tyson? Or how about Mets-Clemens? Or maybe Tiger Woods will be challenged in the final round of a major, perhaps by sparring -- um, playing -- partner Sergio Garcia. Golf's most charismatic figures will be in the final twosome of the 102nd U.S. Open at Bethpage Black Course. And if Woods stumbles a bit today this matchup could be more competitive than the latest alleged fights of the century in boxing and baseball. Phil Mickelson charged up the leaderboard but bogeyed the 18th, knocking him out of the final pairing with Woods.

Billy Mayfair missed only two of 14 fairways with his driver in the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday. His reward was a 1-under 69 at the Bethpage State Park Black Course. "I love the U.S. Open," he said. "I love courses where you have to make a lot of pars. Pars are good scores." Especially in the Open. Mayfair finished in a tie for third with Dudley Hart, K.J. Choi and Jeff Maggert. Not even a thrown ball from a fan toward Mayfair and playing partners Felix Casas and Robert Karlsson could trouble him. So confident was Mayfair with his driver, he used it on the 411-yard par-4 18th, a hole where many pros used a long iron off the tee. He split the fairway, then hit a 9-iron and made a 15-foot birdie putt.

Phil Mickelson had a Cheshire cat smile as he walked off Augusta National's 18th green early Saturday night, fully aware he had pulled a Houdini act the last few holes to remain in contention for his first major title. Despite wild drives into the trees on Nos. 17 and 18, Mickelson holed par-saving putts of 10 and 18 feet to shoot par 72. He was tied for fifth place with two-time defending champion Tiger Woods and two-time titlist Jose Maria Olazabal, four shots behind Jeff Maggert.

Two marquee names have entered and one is apparently ready to withdraw from next week's Canon Greater Hartford Open. Jeff Maggert, who won the first $1 million top prize on the PGA Tour in February, and 1992 U.S. Open champion Tom Kite have committed to the $2.5 million GHO July 29-Aug. 1 at the TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell. But John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and '95 British Open, is ready to withdraw. Daly finished last in the U.S. Open and Irish Open in his past two starts and has said he plans to sit out to recover from exhaustion until the PGA Championship, which is two weeks after the GHO. "John hasn't officially withdrawn, and I don't want to say anything else until I talk to him," John Mascatello, Daly's agent, said Tuesday.

John Daly never enjoyed shooting 5 over par as much as he did Saturday in the U.S. Open, and he learned a lesson along the way. After leaving his driver in his locker the first two rounds, Daly took out his Great Big Bertha and ripped it. His first shot of the day traveled 361 yards, leaving him a 9-iron to the par-5 hole. Daly used his driver five other times, hitting it 368 yards on No. 6. He wished he had brought it out sooner. "I'm very sorry I didn't hit it all week, and this is the last time I'm going to do that," Daly said.